If it seems like I've been missing in action...

It's because I've been missing in action. And lots of it!

Mark left in July for two weeks of Army training at Ft. Dix, New Jersey. I have some really great friends who kept me and the children company while he was gone. Our friend Shannon and her daughter Natalie came to visit for a week, during which the three children took classes at the Prizery as part of Parsons-Bruce Art Association's annual Kids Kollege. This is the best summer program! It is affordable, there are three weeks of classes from which to choose, and they provide high quality instruction. Courtland took a class called, "Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice," in which she made lots of cute preteen girl crafts, like a trinket box, washer necklace, drink coozie, etc.  She loved her class! Carrington took an art and nature class and came home with a notebook full of drawings, clippings, etc. Shannon and I ate breakfast at Southern Plenty in the mornings and shopped downtown while the children were in class. One day we took the children to the Danville Science Center, to eat dinner, and then to see Planes: Fire and Rescue. Every other day, we could be found at the pool. I hated to see that visit end.

Carrington in the hurricane simulator at the Danville Science Center. It is totally worth the extra $2 for a priceless expression such as this! 

 

The new train exhibit at the Danville Science Center. I'm not sure when this arrived, but I don't think it was at the DSC last summer. This is a really neat addition to this part of the center, which also serves as the Amtrak train station.

 Trying to lure butterflies to perch on little fingers.

 The beautiful butterfly garden at the Danville Science Center

 

Dinner and a movie at the World of Sports in South Boston. We decided to eat at Spare Times Grill at the World of Sports because it is so easy to eat and walk right next door for a movie. After dinner we saw Planes Fire and Rescue. Super cute movie, by the way, very family friendly, and very respectful toward fire and rescue personnel.  

 And of course, every day was pool day.

I don't think I could ever tire of Southern Plenty in downtown South Boston, VA. The past few weeks it has become an almost daily ritual.

 

Shannon and Natalie headed back to Lynchburg on Saturday, and we hated to see them go. Fortunately, though, on Sunday, our other friend, also named Shannon, visited us for four days. Did you see those beautiful fresh, local flowers above? I went back for those. I also bought gourmet smoothie flavored jelly beans to fill the candy dish. I love having friends visit, and I love making their space comfy and pretty while they're here. This is what I did with those lovely flowers and jelly beans:

 

Underneath this guest bed is my new DIY trundle bed. I have a small mattress atop a piece of heavy duty plywood that slides out from underneath the double bed above. This is the easiest, yet most useful home project ever!  

On the pillow I left the CD that I bought from pink haired, bubble blowing, free hugging Storyteller Kristin Pedemonti last month at her house concert. It never quite made its way into the mail, so now I can give it to its rightful owner in person. Read here about Kristin Pedemonti. I met her and heard her tell stories in person, and it ranks pretty high as a cool and interesting local experience.

This visit was so needed!  Courtland had her best friend here with us this week, and she got her ears pierced, too. Happy, beautiful Courtie and Mimi!

When two best friends have children who become four best friends, it looks like this.  

Courtie and Mimi on the new trundle bed. 

Courtie and Mimi at the new downtown South Boston green space mural. 

Crosby and Carrington at the South Boston-Halifax County Visitor Center. 

Marlo the Magician wow-ing Miss Courtie at Frutopia. Marlo is at Italian Delight on Tuesdays and often makes his way next door to Frutopia. 

We had such a wonderful visit and miss you guys already!

I took Courtland to her orthodontist consultation in Danville after our friends left for their Lexington home. Then she, Carrington and I had lunch and did some back-to-school shopping. It was a great day. The icing on the cake, though, was that when I got home, someone had mowed my lawn! It needed it, and Mark wasn't able to do it, so someone stepped in and filled the need. I had no idea who it was, but was very thankful. I later found out my mystery lawn mower was Trooper Dan Cline. Thanks so much Dan!

There's no place like home! Thanks a million to our friends for keeping us busy, but we really did miss Mark while he was gone and were so happy to see him again! After 6 months of correspondence coursework, additionally traveling back and forth to Raleigh for classroom instruction every Monday and many weekends for 7 months, months of video instruction, exams, papers, studying, and 2 final weeks of training at Ft. Dix, I am happy to say that Major Thackston left here a student, but returned as a graduate of Command Staff General College. Congratulations! We are so proud of you!

 

So glad to have the whole family together again! Having friends visit kept our minds off of being apart, but we still missed dad.  After hearing all about Ft. Dix and Mark's graduation from CGSCollege, we had some good old fashioned family time. Then Sunday night we celebrated with another family at a graduation party/going away party for Margaret Coe. The Amazing Miss Margaret, the world's most beloved babysitter, is going to college in 11 days. We will love and miss you, Margaret! Thanks for letting us share your special day with you, and thank you so much Joy and Andy for inviting us. Thank you even more so for sharing your lovely daughter with us. She is a jewel!

Thankful today and always for family, friends, and world's greatest babysitters.

I have had fun playing for the past two weeks, but now we're back to business. I have a basement to renovate, a trip to Natural Bridge to enjoy, a girls' beach trip to take, and school starts in a week and a half. Wish us luck! I'll be back sooner than later. Take good care! Erin, Southern Virginia Mom